Tool-miniature connector remover



Feb. 28, 1961 s. ZALK 2,973,219

TOOL-MINIATURE CONNECTOR REMOVER Filed April 2'7. 1959 INVENTOR. s/on/zr A/ zaz :2 ra 1?! s I TOOL-MINIATURE CONNECTOR REMOVER Sidney Zalk, 45547 Genoa St., Lancaster, Calif. Filed Apr. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 809,325 6 Claims. (Cl. 294-92) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a tool and means for quickly installing and removing miniature, multi-pronged electrical connector plugs from a multiple plug and socketed electrical connector arrangement and has for an object means for selectively engaging and removing or replac ing any one of a number of closely spaced adjacent connector plugs and sockets.

A further object is the provision of interlocking means between electrical plug and sockets and hand tool means for selectively unlocking the connection between a plug and its socket and removing the plug from its socket without disturbing other closely spaced surrounding plugs or associated electrical elements.

A further object is the provision of special interlocking plug and socket connectors in which one of the connectors is swivelled on the plug for rotatable locking and unlocking action with respect to the other connector, and a hand tool adapted to telescope over the plug and engage the swivelled connector for protecting the plug member, and rotating the swivelled connector to locking or unlocking position, having a removable interlocking connection with the swivelled connector whereby the plug member is removable from between closely spaced surrounding plugs or electrical units without damage or contact of or with closely spaced surrounding electrical units or connectors.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become. apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved hand tool for removing and replacing electrical plugs or pronged tubes from interlocking electrical sockets located between closely spaced surrounding plugs, or tubes, or other electrical units.

Figure2 is a side elevation of the hand tool,'on an enlarged scale, and broken away to foreshorten, the viewv also illustrating an electrical multi-pronged plug memher with an interlocking connector swivelled thereon for interlocking engagement'with a cooperating complemental connector plate fixed'to a base panel, in which a multi-holed socket, or radio, or electrical tube is disclosed for receiving the prongs of the multi-pronged plug member.

V Figure 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the panel, showing the tube or plug socket and its associated interlocking connector Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view 'of the complementaryinterlocking connector which isfixed' to the supfor'the swivelled connector shown in telescope over the plug 55 2,973,219 Fatented Feb. 28, 1961 potting or base panel and surrounds the multi-holed socket or miniature radio tube.

Referring first to Figure 2 the reference numeral 1 denotes a base or supporting panel having an aperture therethrough for receiving an electrical socket or connector or miniature radio tube 2 having a plurality of electrical socket openings 3 for receiving the pins or prongs 4 of an electrical plug or connector member 5.

The socket member, as shown, is formed with a top flange or head 6 which engages the lower or fixed interlocking connector member 7 (shown in detail in Figure 5). This lower connector is provided with an opening 8 for receiving the socket or female plug 2 therethrough and a pair of oppositely disposed fingers or tabs 9, 9 are provided which preferably extend through openings 10, it? formed in the base panel 1 with the ends of the tabs 9, 9 rebent under the lower surface of the panel to retain the lower connector 7 fixed against the upper surface of the panel 1. The lower connector 7 is also provided with a second pair of locking tabs or fingers 11, ll disposed on opposite sides intermediate the downwardly bent locking tabs 9, 9'. These fingers or tabs 11, ll'are preferably resilient and are bent upwardly adjacent the sides of the head 6 and then bent laterally away from each other to provide outwardly extending locking flanges or projections adjacent to but below the top surface of the head 6 and spaced'above the base panel 3 to receive the locking fingers or tabs 12, 12' of the swivelled locking connector 13,

The swivelled connector plate 13, as seen in Figure 4, is formed with a circular aperture 14, to provide a ring or annulus 15 which is swivelled in the groove or channel is formed in and around the base of the connector plug 5, thereby interlocking the connector plate 13: to the plug 5 but permitting rotation thereof in the groove channel 16.

The swivelled connector is formed with oppositely disposed loclting arms or fingers 12, 12' which extend outwardly beyond the ends of the fingers 11, 11', then bent downwardly, and then inwardly toward each-other to proi-.

The improved hand tool, indicated generally at' 21 comprises a cylindrical or tubular sleeve or'sheath 22;

forming a handle having a' diameter of substantiallyftlie size as the diameter of the miniature plug member-5 with which itis to be'usedgso that the same can "slip or and fairly closely fit the same. The upper portion is preferably annular and forins 't h e handle or manipulating portion and is preferably coated or covered with insulation.

'- The sleeve or sheath-like body is cutaway at 23 'and' 24 to provide a longitudinalopening extendingfinwardly from the lower end 25, along one side. The lower edge is notched at opposite sides at 26 to receive the tabs or fingers 17, 17 when the lower end oflthe tool orshe lilike portion is tube such as indicated at 5. The opposite 'sides'of the notches26 are each recessed at 27 to provide" oppositely disposed horizontal projections 28 arranged to slip into the space within-the swivelled rnember13 between the lower surface of the" ring 15 and the upper surface of the tab or finger portions 17, 17 when the tool is slipped over the plug and rotated relative torswiv'elled ring 15,

thus locking the tool 21 to the plug 5. When a miniature plug having an electricalconductor-5 ,3 to beriirslipped down over a miniature plug or I manipulation is made.

sorted in the socket 2 the longitudinal cutaway portion 24 provides for the admittance of the conductor 5 into the tool. The width of the oppositely disposed projections 28 must be such as to be receivable intothe space between upper and lower portions of the fingers 12, 12' "and more particularly should be narrow enough to move under and within the fingers 12, 12 and above the fin- .ger portions 11 when the latter are in locking engagement with the finger portions 17, 17' of the fingers 12,

As before mentioned it is contemplated that the socket '2 may be a radio tube socket and the plug member may be a radio tube of glass or fragile material, in which event the lower sheath-like portion 22 of handle 22 will substantially surround and protect the tube, against contact from or damage by surrounding electrical sockets,

tubes, or other electrical equipment during removal or replacement of the plug or tube by the hand tool.

It is also contemplated that the lower portion 22- may be made to snugly and even lightly frictionally engage the outer surface of the plug or tube 5, since the tool is preferably made of metal or material having some -resilience.

In the operation, assuming that the plug 5 is to be inserted in the socket 2 and that the socket 2 is surrounded in closely spaced relation by other tube sockets containingi tubes or plugs similar to the plug 5 or other fragile disturbance and the prongs 4 can be inserted in the proper prong sockets or vopening 3. The handle can now be forced axially downward to force the prongs home in their respective sockets. This disposes the inturned surfaces of the fingers 12, 12 in position for locking engagement with the lower outturned surface of the fingers 11, 11'.

' Rotation of the handle 22 now causes the inner ends of the recesses 27'to engage the side edges of the fingers or tabs 12, 12' and to rotate the swivelled ring 15 on the tube or plug 5 until the outturned portions of the fingers 11, 11 engage over the inturned portions 17,17 of the fingers 12, 12, thus. locking the plug or tube 5 in its socket 2 on the panel member l. .Of course, if the co operating detents 19 and 2am employed these will snap in place and yieldably resist rotation of the swivelled ring 15 relative to the fixed ring 7. a 1

. A slight counter rotation of the handle 22 'will now displace .the lateral projections 28 out from under the electrical units of equipment, the lower sheath-like end existing closely surrounding tubes or equipment without fingers 12, 12 and the tool may be easily and quickly": i

removed by axial orupward movement of the handle away from the socket 2 and panel 1. Where the plug 5 has a connector or conductor 5 this may be passed into and removed from the interior of the tool through the longitudinal slot 24.

,In removing 'a tubeor plug the reversal of the above When a conductor cable 5 is present this is slipped through the slot 24 and the tool is moved axially to telescope the lower longitudinal sheath-like slit portion 22 over the exterior of the plug, or tube 5. Rotating the tool by the handle portion 22 while exerting downward pressure seatsthe interlocking; jtabsll', 12 and 11', 12' in the recesses 26. This can I be felt by the slightdropof the handle when the recess 26 and fingers" move into alignment. The handle can now be rotated to move the lateral projections 28 under -t.lie.locking"tabsi 1-2, -12'. Further rotation rotates the swivelled ring 15 on the end of the plug or tube 5 to move the tabs 12, 12' out of alignment and locking engagement with the cooperating complemental tabs 11, 11- and the plug or tube is unlocked? By pulling the handle or sheath axially upward, since the lateral projections 28 are still in interlocking engagement with the tabs 12, 12' the plug or tube 5 can be withdrawn without contact or engagement with surrounding electrical equipment, no matter how close such equipment is to the plug or tube that is withdrawn.

Although the now preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto, forit is susceptible to changes in form and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hand tool for removing and replacing miniature connector plugs and the like from between closely spaced surrounding miniature connector plugs and electrical units in radio equipment comprising an elongated cylindrical hollow resilient body having a cutout portion intermediate its opposite ends, said body having a lower portion extending from said cutout portion having a longitudinal slit extending from said cutout portion to one end to provide a resilient encircling end sheath-like portion shaped to telescope over, snugly engage, and having sulficient length to protect a miniature radio connector plug to be removed, said slit having a width sufficient to freely receive an electrical connector from said miniature connector plug, means on the telescoping end of said tool disposed for locking engagement with said connector plug upon axial rotation of said tool, and a handle portion formed on said body beyond said cutaway and slit portion extending toward the other end of the body for axially rotating said body and said means for locking engagement with the connector plug into and out of locking engagement with said miniature connector plug upon rotation of said handle in opposite directions.

2. A hand too-l for removing interlocking miniature radio connector plugs from radio plug sockets surrounded by closely spaced similar connector plugs and electrical radio units'in which said plug sockets are formed with fixed outwardly extending locking fingers and said plugs are provided with complementary rotatable interlocking inturned finger means at opposite sides thereof, rotatably secured to said plugs for rotative movement into and out of locking engagement with said outwardly extending locking fingers, said hand tool comprises a lower cylindrical sheath-like portion of thin substantially resilient material formed to telescope over and rotate on said plug, said sheath-like lower portion having a lower end, interengaging means on said lower end for locking engagernent with said inturned finger means for rotating said inturned'finger means on said plug out of locking engagement with said outwardly extending lockingfingers upon axial rotation of said lower sheath-like portionin one direction and removing said plug upon axial movement of said tool away from said plug socket, said tool having a manipulating handle'at its upper end for axially rotating said toolto disengage said complemental in turned finger means from said outturned fingers and 'move said'tool axially to withdraw said connector plug axially out of engagement with said connector plug socket; I

3. A tool as set forth in'claim 2 in which said tool is formed of a thin resilient tubular material, cut out at 7 one side intermediate its opposite ends and. formed with a slit portion extending from said cutout portion to said lower end in spaced relation to said means on said lower end for locking engagement with said inturned ,finger means, said slitihaving a width to freely receive thercthrough an electrical conductor for said miniature connector plug. H r

4. A hand tool as--set forth in claim 3 in whichthe lower edgejof the sheathlike' portion thcr'eof'is; formed with oppositely disposed inwardly extending recesses for the reception therein of the inturned finger means on the plug, said recesses having portions extending circumferentially in opposite directions in upwardly spaced rela tion to said lower end to form pairs of finger extending toward each other for movement under said inturned finger means for interlocking engagement therewith upon axial rotation of the manipulating handle for rotating said inturned finger means out of locking engagement with said outturned fingers, and provide means for engagement with said inturned finger means for withdrawing said plug from said socket upon rotative and subsequent axial displacement of said handle in a direction away from said tube socket.

5. A hand tool for removing and replacing cylindrical connector plugs from radio tube sockets and the like, particularly when said tube sockets are surrounded by closely spaced similar tube sockets and other electrical radio units, said hand tool comprising an elongated hollow cylindrical sheathlike body of thin resilient material, having a cutout portion located substantially midway between the opposite ends of the body to form an annular hollow handle portion at an upper end of said body, said body being slit and cut away longitudinally from said outout portion to the opposite or lower end to form a longitudinal slit through said body from said cutaway portion to said lower end for the reception therethrough of a flexible conduit connector for said cylindrical radio plug, and to form a longitudinally slit encircling, cylindrical, resilient, protective sheath portion rotatable on said cylindrical plug when said sheath is telescoped over said plug, said sheath portion having diametrically opposite recesses formed in the lower end thereof, extending upwardly, to receive diametrically opposite locking fingers rotatably about the lower end of said connector plugs when said sheath portion is telescoped over said cylindrical plugs and said tool is axially rotated, interengaging projections formed on the extreme lower end of said sheath portion at opposite side of each of said recesses, extending circumferentially toward each other, having spaced outer ends to receive the said diametrically opposite locking fingers of said plugs therebetween, said interengaging projections being formed to interengage under said locking fingers on said plugs when said sheath portion is telescoped over said plug and rotated axially, whereby said plug can be withdrawn from said plug socket when said handle portion is rotated axially and pulled axially upward away from said tube socket.

6. A hand tool for removing and replacing interlocked radio connectors from radio tube sockets and the like, particularly where the connectors and radio tube sockets are closely surrounded by other interlocked radio connectors and tube sockets and other electrical radio units, said tool comprising an elongatedhollow cylindrical body of thin resilient material having an upper end and a lower end, said body having a substantially semicircular cutaway portion substantially midway between its upper and lower ends, said body being split longitudinally from said. lower end into said cutaway portion to form a substantially cylindrical, elongated, thin, resilient, protective sheathlike portion extending upwardly from said lower end toward said cutaway portion, said sheath portion formed with diametrically opposite restricted recesses extending upwardly from said lower end, circumferentially extending fingers extending from said lower end of said sheathlike portion in said recesses toward each other, in combination with a pair of diametrically disposed outwardly extending locking fingers fixed to said plug socket in slight upwardly spaced relation from a supporting panel for said socket, and a pair of complemental, diametrically opposite inturned locking finger members rotatably swivelled on the cylindrical plug for axial rotation into and out of interlocking engagement under said outwardly extending locking fingers, said circumferentially extending fingers having their outer ends spaced apart sufficiently to receive said locking finger members therebetween when said sheathlike portion is telescopped over said cylindrical plug, said inturned finger members being bent to receive said circumferentially extending fingers of said sheathlike portion therein upon rotative displacement thereof on the plug relative to said outturned fingers on said plug socket when said body is axially rotated with said sheath portion telescope on said plug.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,565,486 Moody Dec. 15, 1925 1,813,459 Miller July 7, 1931 1,996,068 Hinderliter Apr. 2, 1935 2,072,338 Kelso Mar. 2, 1937 2,294,542 Chulick et a1 Sept. 1, 1942 2,320,043 Merkle May 25, 1943 2,497,633 Shapiro et al ..-Feb. 14, 1950 2,599,668 Taylor June 10, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,064,318 France Dec. 23, 1953 

